A petition has been launched to call upon Kings Langley’s MP in a bid to help save Britain’s barn owls.

The petition has already attracted over 120,000 signatures from across the country. It is asking for the introduction of stronger controls on the use of powerful rodent poisons and clear labelling on packaging, as recommended by the Barn Owl Trust.

Mike Penning is overseeing a decision made by the Health and Safety Executive on how powerful rat poisons are used.

At present rat poisons are getting into the wild food chain, poisoning owls that eat poisoned rodents. Currently 84 per cent of Barn Owls test positive for these poisons, which can kill them.

Bert Wander, from Avaaz, an online petition organisation, said: "If Mike Penning and the Health and Safety Executive change the rules that govern the use of the poisons, barn owls can be protected."